OC Kids this Week

Gospel Project for Kids
Sunday 1/26/20 
Unit 17, Session 4: Zechariah the Prophet

Dear Parents,
Zechariah was a priest who had been born in Babylon. He had returned to Jerusalem
with Zerubbabel. At this time, the prophet Haggai was bringing God’s message to His
people. The Judean exiles were struggling to finish rebuilding God’s temple. In fact,
several years had passed without progress on the temple when God called Zechariah to
prophesy to His people.

Zechariah’s message was twofold: first, look back and remember the past. Second, look
forward and prepare for the future. God wanted His people to learn from the mistakes of
their parents and grandparents who had ignored the prophets’ warnings. Zechariah set
out to encourage the people.

The Book of Zechariah is organized into eight visions, four messages, and two oracles.
The visions Zechariah saw each symbolized something God would do—such as rebuild
Jerusalem, judge Israel’s enemies, and remove national sin. (See Zech. 1–6.) A couple
of years later, God spoke to Zechariah again. This time, God spoke four messages to
respond to a question the people had about fasting. (Zech. 7:3)

In the last six chapters, Zechariah changed the subject to the future of God’s kingdom.
Chapters 9–12 are rich with Messianic prophecy; the words are quoted often in the New
Testament. Compare Zechariah 9:9 with John 12:15; Zechariah 11:13 with Matthew
27:9; and Zechariah 12:10 with John 19:37.

As you talk with your kids about Zechariah, emphasize God’s promise: “A king is
coming.” Zechariah’s visions were significant to the reality of God’s people at that time,
but a greater reality awaited. Zechariah pointed to Jesus, the coming deliverer who
would be struck and pierced to take away sin. God would deal with His people’s
enemies. He would cleanse His people. “They will call on my name, and I will answer
them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God’” (Zech.
13:9). Under the rule of King Jesus, our future is incredibly bright.

God was going to help His people and give them a different kind of
king. Jesus is the King who came and rode humbly on a donkey, just as Zechariah said. Because
Zechariah's prophecy came true in Jesus, we can have hope and forgiveness of
sins when we trust in Jesus.

Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for
Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.

FAMILY STARTING POINTS

 Babies and Toddlers
○ The prophets told about Jesus.
○ God kept His promise to send Jesus.
○ Zechariah said that God would send a special King.
○ Jesus is the special King whom God promised to send.
○ One day, Jesus will live with His people forever.

 Preschool
○ How is Jesus the perfect Prophet? God speaks to us through Jesus.
○ Zechariah said the Messiah is coming.

 Kids
○ How is Jesus the perfect Prophet? Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father
and fulfills what the prophets spoke.
○ Zechariah said the Messiah is coming.

UNIT KEY PASSAGE
 Jeremiah 29:11

NEXT WEEK
 “Esther Saved Her People” (Esther)